N

noname223

Archangel
Aug 18, 2020
6,517
I have the feeling it doesn't work how self-help gurus portray it.

I will send a link from a German website and translate with a translator. It is of a German newspaper.


The Definition of Personal Development:

Personal development refers to the conscious process of further developing one's own personality. It encompasses strategies and techniques to unlock one's full potential, strengthen existing strengths, and work on weaknesses. It includes self-reflection, goal setting, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. It strives for personal growth and a better understanding of oneself.

10 Effective Strategies for Personal Development:

Goal of Personal Development: The goal is to develop and promote individual potential and achieve a more fulfilling and successful way of life.

1. Set Clear Goals
One of the fundamental strategies for personal development is setting clear and specific goals. Define what you want to achieve, whether professionally, personally, or health-related. For example, you could set a goal to exercise regularly and improve your fitness over the next six months.

2. Develop Positive Habits
Positive habits are an important component of personal development. Examples of positive habits include regular meditation, reading inspiring books, or keeping a gratitude journal. By practicing such habits daily, you will notice positive changes in your life in the long run.

3. Invest in further education
Personal growth requires continuous learning and further education. Take time to learn new skills or deepen existing knowledge. For example, you could participate in seminars, workshops, or online courses on topics such as communication, time management, or leadership skills.

4. Cultivate a supportive network
A supportive social network can have a significant impact on your personal development. Surround yourself with positive and motivated people who inspire and support you. Participate in networking events, join relevant online communities, and nurture existing relationships.

5. Practice self-reflection
Self-reflection is a powerful tool for recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and fostering personal growth. Regularly set aside time for self-reflection, for example, by keeping a journal or asking yourself questions like, "What did I learn today?" or "What could I do better?"

6. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Personal growth happens outside your comfort zone. Challenge yourself and take on new challenges. For example, you could try giving a public speech, attending an improvisation class, or trying a new hobby. Only by pushing beyond your inner boundaries can you reach your full potential.

7. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful practice for consciously experiencing the present moment and managing your thoughts and emotions. Regular meditation or mindfulness exercises can help you reduce stress, improve your concentration, and cultivate a positive mindset.

8. Use Mistakes as Learning Opportunities
Mistakes are a part of life and offer valuable lessons for personal growth. Instead of being discouraged by mistakes, view them as learning opportunities and chances to improve. Analyze your mistakes, reflect on them, and develop strategies to avoid them in the future.

9. Take care of your health
Health plays a crucial role in personal growth. Ensure you get enough exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient sleep. Prioritize your physical and mental health to boost your energy and performance.

10. Stay positive and persistent
A positive attitude and perseverance are key components of personal development. Even when setbacks occur, stay positive and don't give up. Stick to your goals, develop a solution-oriented mindset, and believe in yourself.


Benefits of personal development:

✅ Personal development allows you to reach your full potential and achieve personal growth in various areas of life.

✅ Through personal development, you can further strengthen your strengths, address weaknesses, and develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

✅ Personal development fosters the development of important skills such as communication, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence, which can positively impact relationships, career, and life satisfaction.

My opinion and my opinion should not count. This is all bullsht. If you follow all the steps you will end up a narcissistic, self-absorbed asshole with no real friends. Some of the tips have real value. For example, I also invest in my education. But I think this is very individual. For some it works, and for some it does not work. And I think I am not interested in education for the right reasons. Personally, I think personal development isn't something you can actively pursue. But if you do it, it will fail. At least for me I think the catastrophes that happened in my life led to personal growth. In certain aspects it made me a bitter and resentful person. But I think a personality two-edged. It doesn't work if you think I will from now on stay positive for the rest of my life and only surround myself with positive vibes. And only talk to people with the same mindset and then we reinforce each other in our beliefs and together we can further our career and suck ourselves off because we are so different of the average Jane and Jane. And its ironic I make this point. The people I met in life who were really empathic, didn't give a shit about career goals or self-improvement. I think you will meet a lot of fake people if you surround yourself with such a community. People who will leave you, when life turns bad. By aiming to reach your full potential, you won't reach your full potential. However, it might depend. You can try to accomplish something, but for that you most likely have to specialize in it. Then you have to sacrifice something, you will have to learn to deal with setbacks. But this road can be really lonely. And you will neglect other parts of your life, that will lack in your personal development. Everything comes with a price. Always staying positive is a cynical advice. In certain situations it is rational and healthy to take a break, be sad, to mourn and to hate the world. By fading this reality out, you will betray your trueself and this can lead to a failed life. I think it is true you should care for your health. But there are extremes and I don't think we should optimize ourselves to perfection. People should have guilty pleasures, even if they are bad for a longterm development. Sometimes learning from mistakes means, changing the strategy. And one direction might be to stop following such bogus self-help advices and books. An industry thrives on it. Actually, mindfulness is really toxic for me. For some it really helps and I don't deny that but with my hypervigilant consciousness it made everything worse. People are different and such stereotypical advices don't take that into account.

I think I will end it her. I see on dating apps how many people are into self-improvement. And I get the feeling many of these people are narcissists. But maybe I am the ignorant person in this equation. I don't know.

What do you think?

Self-improvement isn't a linear process, it can be contradictory, uncontrollable, painful and it certainly cannot be planned.
 
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Forever Sleep

Earned it we have...
May 4, 2022
14,317
I probably think of it in the way some people are more spiritual rather than religious. So- I absolutely think there are ways we can 'work on ourselves' to become happier, more successful and even morally better people. But, I wouldn't necessarily follow or believe everything in a guidebook.

But sure- say we realise we can react in an aggressive way when we are triggered by a certain thing. If our responses teeter on being unreasonable- we probably don't want to be an arsehole so- we may learn in future to notice triggers and not take the bait. Not be trolled even on certain subjects. I'd say that was self development: I can be an arsehole in this situation so- I'll try to avoid it in future. Or, be very mindful about how I respond. Take a minute to breath if my heart starts racing and I get a surge of adrenaline. We learn to manage ourselves- effectively- where necessary.

We may also identify that we have certain anxieties- say, social anxiety that is holding us back in life. I'd say it was brilliant self development to identify that and work on it. It's something I should have done but, didn't.

It's maybe not unreasonable- if someone has had bad experiences with certain types of people- to be mindful of their own mental safety in future. But then, they don't need to be an arsehole about it either.

I remember a member here saying a person had pretty much said they'd heard things about them and wanted to stay away for the sake of preserving their own mental health. There's surely better ways of giving someone the cold shoulder without making them feel like toxic waste.
 
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Dejected 55

Dejected 55

Visionary
May 7, 2025
2,266
People can develop and can change... but people can also fake it... and often it is difficult to tell the difference.
 
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FoxSauce

FoxSauce

Emotionally unstable like an IKEA table
Aug 23, 2024
1,055
Ofc I believe so. It just takes tike and the willingness to do so is it easy? Not in the slightest but development can work in both ways good or bad.

Can be also based on lifes experiences.

Is not a overnight change but even the smallest attempts can be noticed.

People can see as development in the modern world as physical changes but mentally I think can do much more.

Maybe a happy person from a certain experiences in their life can become resentfull, pessimistic or enven easily angered but is important to keep an open mind that maybe that person is going through something.

It honestly depends on the situation
 
Betsy007

Betsy007

Member
Nov 7, 2022
57
The only true, lasting personal development I've had came from a boatload of psychedelics.
 
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derpyderpins

derpyderpins

:( as ugly as Sidney Sweeney :(
Sep 19, 2023
2,167
You can be right that many techniques either don't work/help, are carried out ineffectively, aren't designed for true "personal development," etc.

But everyone can always work on themselves and always improve. 0 doubt about that in my mind.
 
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